Jan. 20--A woman was sexually assaulted Monday in the Wicker Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side, police said.
Shortly before 2 a.m. Monday, the 25-year-old woman was on the sidewalk in the 1700 block of West Pierce Avenue when she was tackled from behind, police said.
The attacker threw her to the ground, ripped off her pants and sexually assaulted her near an alley, police said. The attacker fled when the woman cried out for help and got the attention of a passer-by, who "verbally challenged" the attacker, police said in a statement.
The woman was taken to Presence Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, where her condition stabilized, police said.
The attacker was described as a black man, between 25 and 40, 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet tall, according to a police alert. The man weighed 180 to 220 pounds and was wearing a dark coat and dark pants. He might have been carrying a handgun, police said.
Anyone with information can contact police at 312-744-8200.
